Fruit-picker



(No M0de1.)

J. BROWN 81; .M. G. ALOORN.

, FRUIT PIGKER.

No. 312,326. Patented Feb. 17, 1885.

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JAMES BROVN AND MARSHALL G. ALCORN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 312,326, datedFebruary 17, 1885.

Application filed July 31, 1884. (X model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES BROWN and llIARSHALL G. ALCORN, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angelesand State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFruit-Pickers, of which the following is aspeeification.

Our invention relates to pickers adapted to remove from the trees fruitliable to be in jured by bruising or by pulling out the stem, and theobject of our invention is to devise a simple, compact, and convenientinstrument for accomplishing this. Ve do this by means of the devicedescribed herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of our device, a section of the handlebeing cut away. Fig. 2 is a view of the upper end of the hose, showingthe slit w. Fig. 3 is a face view, and Figs. 4 and 5 side views, thehandle H not being shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 6 is a View of thestandard D.

A A are two circular jaws mounted on arms L L, which are pivoted in acommon standard or support, D, by a single pivot, P. The edges of thejaws which meet are sharpened to a keen edge, and one is of a smallerdiameter than the other, so as to closely fit within it. The levers L Lhave an outward and downward curve. Connecting-rods Q G are attached tothe outer ends of the levers L L, and connect them with theoperating-rod O, which extends downward along a groove in the handle Hnearly to its lower extremity, where it is attached to the trigger T,mounted in a mortise in the handle. A spring, S, is fastened in thehandle H at its upper end, and to the trigger by its lower end, beinginclosed in an enlargement of the groove in which the rod 0 operates.The tendency of this spring is to elevate the trigger andconnecting-rod, and thus hold the jaws A A open. A canvas hose, 1, isfitted around and attached to the jaw A by fastenings passing throughthe perforations Q Q. It extends downward along the standard D andhandle H, and is attached thereto at intervals. A longitudinal slit, w,is provided in the hose for the reception of the lever L, so that thehose may be made to fit closely against the standard without interferingwith the operation of the lever which projects from that side of, thestandard. Two wires, W W, are bent to form semicircles, and are attachedto the jaw A to prevent the fruit from falling away from the hose incase the hose should be on the upper side when the fruit is detached.

The operation of the picker is as follows; The hose is connected to apouch attached to the operator to receive the fruit as it is picked. Theoperator then grasps the handle H, using one hand to control the triggerL. Then the jaws are near the fruit, the trigger is released. Thetension of the spring draws it upward, thus elevating the operating-rodand the connecting-rods G O, which, acting upon the levers L L, expandthe toggle-joints formed by the levers and rods, and thus open the jawsa a, which are then held so as to inclose the fruit. The trigger is thendepressed, thus drawing the rod downward and closing the jaws, the edgesof which come into contact with the stem of the fruit and clip it,allowing it to fall into the hose. As thejaws are circular and theentire edge of each is sharp, there is no diiiiculty in bringing theminto contact with the stem at the proper place, and as each jaw advancestoward the other when being closed, they will usually both come intocontact with the stem at the same time, as the fruit will ordinarily bemidway between the jaws when they are advanced to pluck it. Thus it willbe seen that, by making both jaws movable, the liability of pulling thestern out of the fruit is avoided. As the operating-rod is rigid, thereis no danger that the jaws will stick together, for, it the springshould not be strong enough to open them, the operator may throw thetrigger up by hand, thus forcing the jaws open. The operating-rod is letinto a groove in the handle,'so as to be out of the way, and is coveredwith a strip of tin, so that the handle is smooth. The outward curve ofthe levers L L prevents their coming together when the jaws are closed,whereby greater force is exerted than could he were the levers in linewith the jaws. The standard D has a bend at the point where it uniteswith the staff or handle, so as to bring its center in line with theoperating-rod.

Now, having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

tially as described, of a hose for conducting the fruit from the jaws tothe ground, having an opening or slit therein to admit the lever whichoperates one of the jaws, whereby the hose is adapted to be closelyattached to the handle of the picker.

. JAS. BROWVN.

MARSHALL .G. ALOORN. Witnesses:

H. T. HAZARD, J AS. R. TOWNSEND.

